Listen, this show is depressing. The book series is depressing. Good things never happen. It can be hard to watch, although also addictive enough you tune in regardless. So when something happens, one good shining moment, or a few shining moments, it is like sun showing up after a month of rain. We’ve been saying for a long time the Stark family would never reunite, and this episode proved me wrong, and I was an absolute mess. This is good damn television, and frankly, the show is impressing me this season. I’m giving them credit. Previously on Game of Thrones, Jon Snow is back from the dead and he’s done with the Night’s Watch. Sansa escaped from Ramsay and found Brienne, and they’re headed to the Wall. Theon went home to his family, and his father was just murdered. Cersei had to do a walk of atonement and hates the High Sparrow, who still has Margaery and Loras Tyrell. Dany’s with the Dothraki but they’re trapping her with the other Khaleesi widows. Ramsay was given Rickon Stark. Uh oh.

See the gifs alone for my feelings about the Sansa and Jon reunion. There are so many things I loved about them in this episode. First was their hug. It was so beautiful and pained and loving. The second was them joking and connecting on a personal level, especially since they weren’t always that close. Seeing how much the two of them changed since the beginning of the show, it was amazing to witness this. Also amazing was that Sansa is the one who says WE ARE GETTING BACK THE NORTH. Yes we are, Sansa. I love that Jon says “where we go” because he’s not leaving her again, and Sansa is showing herself to be Catelyn’s daughter for sure. She wants their home back. GOOD. Applause. Ramsay kills Osha and has Rickon in his grasp, so that’s not going to go well. Ramsay sends a letter to Jon and says that he has Rickon, and taunts him with all the terrible things he plans to do to them and Sansa. The wildlings seem willing to help them take back the North, but they don’t have the numbers. They’ll find a way.

But this happened. THIS HAPPENED. MY FEELINGS.

Never forget. Oh also Tormund is in love with Brienne at first sight (GOOD TASTE), and she also tells Melisandre and Davos she killed Stannis. They don’t seem particularly mad at her, or maybe know better than to try to attack her level of badass. I don’t think Melisandre really cares, now that she thinks Jon is the prince that was promised and not Stannis. Also Theon and Yara have a sibling reunion that’s also touching, and he assures her he is there to support her claim to the throne and has no interest in his own. Meanwhile we see that Littlefinger is back in the game and in the Eyrie. He has Robert Arryn completely under his thumb, and he wants to bring the Eyrie soldiers to the Wall for Sansa. Oh good, are you going to apologize for giving her to a psychopath too? Creepy creepster. Over in King’s Landing, Margaery gets to see her brother and he is completely destroyed, begging her for help. Yikes. Poor Loras. Cersei warns the council that Margaery is about to do the same walk, and they’re like OH NO SHE IS NOT. There are two Tyrells on the council and beyond that, they’re like the current queen cannot walk naked through the streets, omg. So they’re finally all ready to work together.

Meanwhile across the water, Tyrion tries to convince Greyworm and Missandei that the only way to keep them all alive and fight off the Sons of the Harpy is to try and make peace with the masters. He actually refers to his BRIEF TIME AS A SLAVE and they’re all like are you f’n kidding me and I don’t blame them. He argues that only by slowly phasing out slavery will they make it permanent. The two eventually reluctantly agree … for now. We’ll see what Dany has to say about that. Jorah and Daario finally make it to her, and she’s like lol don’t worry guys I’ve got this. KHALEESI DOESN’T NEED SAVING TYVM. SHE IS A BOSS. So she goes before the Khals and does an epic speech about how they’re nothing and she doesn’t need them. They threaten her with rape and murder and she’s just laughing at them. She then burns down the entire place with them in it, and walks out naked and unharmed. This is purposely mirroring the season one ending when they all bow before her, and it happens again here. In the book, Dany isn’t actually impervious to fire all the time, but the show is going that route and alright. It does work for her. There’s some questionable stuff to be said about why the Dothraki are always portrayed as savages (problematic!) and why having her murdering and conquering POC nations is kind of iffy. I see that. I also see that she is a bamf and I screamed in delight when she walked out of the flames. Don’t mess with the Mother of Dragons, alright? That being said since the only other POC in this show were the Dornes, who clearly were murdered or turned evil, it’s a serious problem.

So that was a strong end to the episode. It’s interesting to see her this way, because I think we always walk a fine line with Dany and how vicious she is. She’s from a lineage that could lead to madness, and she’s certainly a bloodthirsty person in her own way. I think we’re meant to know that she could be a villain as easily as a savior. I like that about her. Jon and Sansa’s reunion is everything, now we just need Rickon, Bran, and Arya, and I will forgive them everything that ever happened. Except then they’ll probably kill everyone. I do think it’s likely that Jon or Sansa will get to kill Ramsay in the end, and I’m glad. IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO DIE. So this was a great episode! I really enjoyed it, and I appreciate them moving forward all the plotlines.